Bruins name Don Sweeney as new general manager
The Boston Bruins named Don Sweeney as the team’s new general manager, the team announced Wednesday.
Sweeney replaces Peter Chiarelli, who was fired last month after the team missed the playoffs for the first time in eight years. The team said that Sweeney will be in charge of hockey operations.
The Bruins have not decided what they will do with head coach Claude Julien, who has been the subject of rumors concerning his job status since the season ended.
Bruins president Cam Neely has said that the new general manager will decide the coaching staff's fate.
”Don has excelled in every role he has been in with the Bruins organization and has a comprehensive understanding of every aspect of our hockey operations department," Neely said. "His commitment and drive to bring a championship caliber team to the Boston fans was evident every step of the way through this search process, and I am confident that his leadership of our hockey operations department will lead to success."
Sweeney, 48, spent the last six seasons as the team’s assistant general manager and was also the GM of the Providence Bruins, the team's top minor league affiliate. He has been a part of the franchise for 10 years, first joining the club as the director of player development.
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After having the league’s best regular season record in 2013, Boston went on to lose in the Eastern Conference semifinals to Montreal.
Scoring was the key to the Bruins success that season, ranking third in the league in goals scored, but dropping to 22nd this season, after letting forward Jarome Iginla go in free agency and trading defenseman Johnny Boychuk to the New York Islanders.
The team was also left short-handed because of an injury to center David Krejci, who only played in 47 games this season due to knee issues.
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